Spring fastening device



July H0, 1951 s. T. SHEARS 2,560,436

SPRING FASTENING DEVICE Filed July 20, 1945 9 Siuari 5Z7 (fie/ears.

Patented July 10, 1951 iiuNliiltElD if 2 lai'ms. :3 The present invention relates to fastening devices for cylindrical articlessuch' as pipes;wires andthe' like, and aims 'generally'to improve and simplify. existing fastening devices of that type.

More particularly.theinvention relatesto the improvement of fastening devices" for'pipes; wire and the like bythe provision ofa relativel fiat transverse spring having its ends'irr engagement withthe articles'to' be secured, and having a quick operatingssecuringmaeans-Lto the support intermediate thelarticleauthe entire. assembly. be-

ing held against loosening principally'bythe pressure on .the securing means by the transverse spring 'whiclris'biased" away from" the support at its midpoint.

.iOtherzaims. and ..obj.ects s'of the invention will :be apparenttothose .skille'diinitthe artffrom a :consideration of .the accompanying drawings; and zannexedtspecification illustrating andi'descr ibing twoembodiments .otthe invention.

In the drawings ."Fig. 1 .isaa sideelevation ofzanlinstallationemibodying-oneformnof .my improved device;

Fig. 2 is a top plan View thereof;

Fig. 3 is an enlarged transverse sectional view thereof taken on the line 3-3 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 4 is a side elevation of an installation embodying a second form of my improved device;

Fig. 5 is a top plan view of the installation shown in Fig. 4; and

Fig. 6 is an enlarged transverse sectional view thereof taken on the line 6-6 of Fig. 4.

Referring to the drawings, my improved fastening device comprises a resilient member I preferably formed of fiat spring steel of proper width and thickness to possess the necessary strength for the purpose hereinafter described. The extremities 8 of the member 1 are formed with a transverse bend approximating a portion of a cylindrical surface in order to firmly engage the pipes 9 or like cylindrical articles, and clamp them firmly against the face of the base of a support ID. It is obvious that the contour of the extremities B may be modified to adapt my fastening device to the contour of the articles being secured thereby.

In the form of my invention shown in Figs. 1, 2 and 3, a tongue II is formed at the midportion l2 of the member 1 disposed parallel to and transversely of the member 1. The tongue H is preferably formed unitary with the member 1 by bending a projecting tab thereof under the midportion l2 thereof and in such a manner that the tongue is parallel to and spaced from the underside of the member as shown in Fig. 3. The

i'tong'uemay'be formed of spring steel and'preferably. has a transverse stopbr'raised portion 'l3 'iafdja'centi the end thereof.

.Thefaste11ing" device is adapted to be attached to'a'supportpositioned' between the'tongue l I and midportion I 2 of the'memberi andsucn support may be a thin sheet "metal member such as a U =shapedibridge; member I 4," formed "'from or'atta'ched to. the base |0"and' oftsuitable size to be en aged by .the'tongue' I [as shown in Fig-3. The

support-or member I4"'ne'ed"not :be formed of resilient materiaLibut is"'preferably orproper size t;to".'maintain the fastening device 'in'pre'determined position.

"The "midportion [2 'of the "member "1 so shaped that when "in released position' and with theextremitiesfl thereof engaging'the'pipes 9; the

tongue II and midportion t2 'mustbedepressed 'towardsthe base Iii-in order to enter theftongue l l into i the bridge member [4. After .engaging the tongue H 'into the bridge member l"4,fthe gpressure necessary to depress :the "midportion l2 may'be released and the inherent tendency of the resilient member 1 to resume its former shape will cause the tongue II to firmly engage the underside of the bridge member 14, thus retaining the member 1 into position relative to the base In and also firmly pressing the pipes 9 against the base [0 and retaining the pipes in fixed position. The pressure necessary to engage my fastening device may be controlled by the design of the resilient member 1, but is preferably such that the member 1 may be manually engaged without the use of tools. The raised portion l3 formed on the tongue ll further aids in rigidly securing the member 1 against accidental displacement by resisting withdrawal of the tongue from the bridge member I 4.

In the form of my invention shown in Figs. 4, 5 and 6, the support comprises a base I0 and a tongue l5 formed from or firmly attached to the base, the tongue preferably being positioned parallel to the direction of and between the articles 9 to be secured. The tongue I 5 is preferably made of spring steel but will function, though of rigid material. The portion of the tongue adapted to engage the resilient transverse member [6 of the fastener is spaced from the support, and a transverse raised portion ll of the tongue I5 is provided to assure against accidental displacement of the member I6.

The resilient transverse member I6 is in general similar to the member I of Figs. 1, 2 and 3.

tion is adaptable to many installations.

.the support. are provided near the midportion of the member 3 same. However, in lieu of the transverse tongue II of the member 7, a tongue I5 is provided on The transverse raised portions I8 l6 and are spaced apart to provide a depression for receiving the tongue [5 therebetween to maintain the tongue l5 near the midportion of the member l6. J

To apply this form of my fastening device, it is necessary as in the previously described modification to engage the extremities thereof with the articles 9. Then the midportionpf the member I6 is depressed and slipped into position under the tongue l5, after which thepressure may be released and the device will remain in -posi tion. The method of functioning of my device as described in this modification is substantially similar to that previously described, the essential difference being that the tongue is attached to the resilient transverse member in the first form of my invention and to the support in the second form thereof.

The improved fastening device of my inven- Its chief value lies in providing a means .for readily'and detachably securing spaced articles .of relatively light weight to a support andis of value in securing condenser tubes and other tubing of a mechanical refrigerator. Also, it is of particular value in securing other tubingor like articles to a support when such tubing 'mustbe removed from time to time for cleaning and for maintenance. It is obvious that the fastening device herein described is quickly and more readily attached and detached than screw fastenings of. various types now used. Also, m invention is support in a like manner.

equally applicable to the securing of wire'sto a It is feasible to apply the form ofmy invention first described directly over anedge of a relatively thin support and thus eliminate the bridge member I 4. In such an applicationthe tongue I I would be positioned on the reverse side of the support instead of the pipes 9.

Although I have illustrated and described two preferred forms of my invention, I do not wish to be limited thereby because the scope of my invention is best defined b the following claims.

I claim:

1. A fastener for holding spaced elongated articles against a support, said fastener comprising an elongated resilient strip having article-engaging portions at its extremities and two spaced transverse ridges at its midportion, and a tongue projecting from and parallel to said support, said tongue adapted to lie between said ridges and engage said strip and having a raised portion at the-free end thereof, the midportion of said strip being biased towards said tongue.

2. The combination of a support, spaced elongated articles to be supported thereby, a resilient elongated strip having extremities engaging said articles and a midportion biased away from said support, a cooperating fastener strip secured ,to said support and disposed in a plane substantially parallel to and adjacent the article supporting face of said support, and means integral with said mid-portion including a coacting surface for tensioned engagement with the face of said cooperating fastener strip adjacent said support for securing said elongated strip .to said support.

- STUART T. SHEARS.

REFERENCES CITED UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,307,240 Christopher June 17, 1919 1,543,253 Gerwig June 23, 1925 1,772,687 Reinke Aug. 12, 1930 1,981,973 Tinnerman Nov. 2'7, 1934 2,109,213 Fearing Feb. 22, 1938 2,266,266 Bitter Dec. 16, 1941 2,278,691 Cotter Apr. 7, 1942 2,334,705 Hotson Nov. 23, 1943 

